Courtmacsherry had an R.I.C. station prior to independence and in 1923 a Garda Station was established in the village.
Five gardai were assigned to Courtmacsherry. The sergeant’s surname was Nagle and he was assisted by gardai Edward Murray, John Cogan, Jerry Nolan and Tom Finnucane. During the Civil War, there had been great destruction of the road and rail networks and travel throughout the country was very difficult. The five gardai were faced with an unusual choice when trying to get from Dublin to Courtmacsherry to take up their postings. They availed of passage on a ship operated by Clyde Steamships Co. Ltd, the M.V. Dungeness that was to sail from Dublin to Cork via Waterford with a cargo of cattle. The men stayed overnight in Cork and the following day they boarded the Great Southern Railway train, pulled by the engine St.Molaga for the journey from Cork to Courtmacsherry.
The barracks was housed on the main street in what is now Peter Wolstenhome’s home and gallery. A local woman, Lizzie Downey, cooked meals for the gardaí who were rostered to have somebody on duty twenty-four hours a day. The gardai were required to patrol a large area of the countryside around Courtmacsherry on foot. In keeping with the policy of the Free State Government for public servants, they were also required to learn Irish and attended special classes held in the National School, situated just a short distance from the barracks.
The Garda Barracks in Courtmacsherry was closed in 1927 and administration of district it had served was transferred to the Garda Barracks in Timoleague.
Five gardai were assigned to Courtmacsherry. The sergeant’s surname was Nagle and he was assisted by gardai Edward Murray, John Cogan, Jerry Nolan and Tom Finnucane. During the Civil War, there had been great destruction of the road and rail networks and travel throughout the country was very difficult. The five gardai were faced with an unusual choice when trying to get from Dublin to Courtmacsherry to take up their postings. They availed of passage on a ship operated by Clyde Steamships Co. Ltd, the M.V. Dungeness that was to sail from Dublin to Cork via Waterford with a cargo of cattle. The men stayed overnight in Cork and the following day they boarded the Great Southern Railway train, pulled by the engine St.Molaga for the journey from Cork to Courtmacsherry.
The barracks was housed on the main street in what is now Peter Wolstenhome’s home and gallery. A local woman, Lizzie Downey, cooked meals for the gardaí who were rostered to have somebody on duty twenty-four hours a day. The gardai were required to patrol a large area of the countryside around Courtmacsherry on foot. In keeping with the policy of the Free State Government for public servants, they were also required to learn Irish and attended special classes held in the National School, situated just a short distance from the barracks.
The Garda Barracks in Courtmacsherry was closed in 1927 and administration of district it had served was transferred to the Garda Barracks in Timoleague.
